Everyone loves an FA Cup giant killing. That is, until you’re on the end of a particularly nasty one yourself.
And in a couple of weeks, Shrewsbury Town, who are languishing in 20th place in League One, will welcome Manchester United to their Greenhous Meadow Stadium.
It’s a glamour tie for the locals, and one which can distract the diehard fans from what has been a tricky season full of ups and downs. Ultimately, the Shrews are in a fierce relegation battle and need to survive. Relegation at this level can be absolutely disastrous for funds and future projects so this FA Cup game will provide welcome relief for manager Micky Mellon.
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It all sounds well and good, until it dawns on you that you’ve got to play Manchester United.
Yes the Red Devils haven’t been fantastic this season but they have started to hit a rich vein of form, arguably at the precise right time too.
They’ve seemingly brushed some of the criticism directed at their attacking play aside and look a lot more confidence going forward, buoyed by recent performances. A late title push isn’t out of the question yet, as long as they can win the majority of their 13 games remaining in the Premier League.
But their exit from the Champions League makes the FA Cup that little more important to them this year, make no mistake about it.
They will want silverware, and despite recent optimism and form, the Premier League crown will be a tricky one to reach. European glory would be welcome, but sadly, the Europa League is not held in nearly as much stead as the Champions League and this wouldn’t be recognised as a landmark in Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United career.
So the FA Cup is a big one this year and its very much doubted that United will be taking this any less seriously as any Premier League game.
Silverware is silverware and if this is one of a couple of opportunities to get some, van Gaal will be heading to Shropshire with a strong team, set out to do the job professionally.
After all, a potential defeat or poor performance will only put the pressure back on his shoulders, and the Jose Mourinho rumour mill will only start turning again.
So it’s in both team’s interest to play well on the evening and come out on top, but can the Shrews be giant killers? They did well to despatch Sheffield Wednesday in the last round but this is an entirely different cut of mustard.
They have home advantage, which is vital. The Greenhous Meadow pitch will be choppy and unforgiving and they will have a partisan home crowd on their side, who are locked in close to the pitch.
They need to be in-your-face and ugly to stand any chance of winning. Everyone loves a giant killing but United need this too much this year. It promises to be a cracker.
The race for promotion is entering its final stretch and the competitions are intensifying by the weekend. Fixtures this week look to provide a lot of excitement and hopefully goals as well, especially for all you pizza fans out there.
If you’re not familiar with the contest, we’ll give you a rundown. If you can correctly back a team to score two or more goals this weekend, Papa Johns will give you a pizza of your choice for 50% off. All you have to do is sign up, pick your team and wait for goals.
Not every team in the Championship will find the net twice, so we’ll give you some choices on who we think will earn you some discounted pizza from Papa Johns.
Burnley
A popular choice, look for them to continue to build on their lead in the table by getting at least two against Wolves, who have conceded two or more goals in seven matches on the road this year so far. Burnley should pass the two goal mark at home as they’ve been able to in ten Championship matches this season so far.
Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town take on a weak Rotherham side who are in relegation territory. Rotherham have been poor in defence and have allowed two or more goals on 20 separate occasions in Championship matches this year, 11 of those matches were played on the road. Ispwich Town are poised for a flurry of goals this weekend.
Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday still have much to play for as they are not out of the promotion race just yet. In nine of their home matches this year they’ve been able to find the net at least twice, and face a relegation zoned Charlton who can’t keep their away opponents from scoring, conceding two or more on the road on ten different occasions this campaign.
It’s lovely, it’s joyous, it’s a breath of fresh air and it’s probably the best thing that could happen to the Premier League.
But it’s a one-off for Leicester City.
And that’s the shame about this, that they won’t do it again. By now, every Premier team will be sussing out exactly what they need to do next season against a side that has surprised just about everyone in European football, and certainly British football. It isn’t often that you have a team like Leicester (no disrespect) that rise from almost being relegation fodder to league champions.
Every now and again in leagues across Europe, a smaller, unexpected club freakishly win the crown, but with more money coming into the game, plus the fact that the ‘bigger’ teams have largely and spectacularly under-performed, you know that next year, the powers that be at each club will spend and spend and spend to regain control and effectively shut out sides like Leicester.
Therefore, this is indeed a one-off.
Leicester fans – sit back, enjoy the next few games, breathe in the sweet aroma of unparalleled success, watch the home coming on the traditional open top bus and saviour the Champions League, because it will be the only time you can.
Leicester haven’t been the only pleasant surprise package. West Ham are still battling for fourth and Southampton and Stoke aren’t far behind. At the turn of the year, plaudits were being given to Crystal Palace and Watford, so the rise of the so called smaller team has been there, but the sluggish, inconsistent performances of the league’s top outfits have given the league a bizarre look.
With all of the TV money on its way, every club can afford to splash the cash, but some will have more than others and next year, do not be too surprised to see the perennial top four or five become the top four or five again.
With new managers at Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City – and possibly at Arsenal and Manchester United as well – it is all change at the top. The knock-on effect will be summer squad clear-outs and expensive, big name additions commanding significant wages.
The likes of Leicester City, it’s sad to say, will not compete, and even the lure of the Champions League, will not have star names flocking to the King Power Stadium. Most will see it as a one-off and many will still be attracted by club names and the well respected managerial changes.
Normality will resume.
Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher said recently: “Is it the biggest story we’ve seen in football? There’s obviously Nottingham Forest when they went on to win European Cups and I think it’s safe to say we won’t see Leicester do that. Ranieri said before the game ( against Sunderland) this could happen in 50 or 60 years’ time. The chances of seeing something like this again? I think it could be double that.”
Graeme Souness agrees: “It’s the most incredible story in the Premier League’s history,” he said. “A year when all the big teams have tripped up I think it is the most interesting, fascinating Premier League ever and I think they’ve won it now. I think it is the most wonderful thing for football, it gives everyone out there who’s not a big boy, not one of the big boys, think ‘we can do that’. They won’t, but they will think they can.”
And that’s the point. Leicester will pave the way for others to think they can, but ultimately, it will always be the big teams that win.
With the domestic season finally over, the European Championship in France is now just a matter of weeks away – set to officially kick off on June 10th.
As the first ever Euro tournament involving 24 teams, bumped up from the previous format of 16, the 2016 edition looks set to be a real classic, especially with no standout favourite to lift the title.
The new format has accommodated for an extra knockout round also and seemingly inspired some of Europe’s lesser sides to claim a place in the group stages, with the likes of Wales and Iceland making their Euro debuts.
But how clued up are you on this year’s teams – or more accurately, the stars who look set to take centre-stage as their countries hone in on the Euro crown?
If the answer is ‘not particularly’, then don’t fear. Football FanCast is here to fill you in with our list of the top ten key players at Euro 2016.
ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI
Arguably the most lethal finisher in world football, Robert Lewandowski has finished the 2015/16 campaign with an incredible 42 goals in 51 appearances for Bayern Munich, including five goals against Wolfsburg in the space of nine minutes back in September.
The 75-cap international faces a tough task of maintaining that potency at the Euros this summer, especially with Poland facing bitter rivals Germany and Ukraine in Group C. But Poland have forged their game around getting Lewandowski the ball as often as possible and the 27-year-old will have chances to put his name on the scoresheet.
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SERGIO BUSQUETS
Sergio Busquets may rarely grab the headlines but he’s been at the backbone of Spanish football’s era of dominance over club and international football, winning three Champions League titles with Barcelona alongside a World Cup and a European Championship with Spain
Manager Vincente del Bosque once said “You watch the game, you don’t see Busquets. You watch Busquets, you see the whole game,” suggesting the .defensive midfielder will continue to remain at the heart of his starting Xi, anchoring the tiki-taka enthusiasts circling him, for the coming tournament in France.
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GIORGIO CHIELLINI
Lacking true star quality in attack, Italy’s progression through the Euros will largely hinge upon the kind of stanch defence that has become synonymous with Azzurri throughout the years. Juventus centre-half Giorgio Chiellini will play an intrinsic role at the heart of their backline; he’s rated as one of the top centre-backs in world football and is the most experienced outfield player at Antonio Conte’s disposal after international centurion Daniele De Rossi, with 82 caps to his name.
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KEVIN DE BRUYNE
Eden Hazard’s miraculous decline since claiming last season’s PFA Player of the Year award – barring a few show-stopping performances at the end of the campaign – has thrust Kevin De Bruyne to centre-stage ahead of what looks set to be an incredibly exciting tournament for Belgium.
The Manchester City midfielder has justified his £55million price-tag increasingly as the season’s gone on, eventually finishing up with seven goals and nine assists in 25 Premier League appearances alongside a further three strikes in the Champions League. The 24-year-old’s return for Belgium – 12 goals and 38 caps – is nothing to be sniffed at either.
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GARETH BALE
Wales progression through the first European Championship they’ve successfully qualified for will almost entirely depend on Gareth Bale’s ability to regularly conjure up magic in the final third. The 26-year-old hasn’t exactly set the world alight since moving to the Bernabeu three years ago, despite a decent return of 58 goals in 123 appearances across all competitions, but remains the Dragons’ attacking talisman with seven goals in qualifying.
The winger-forward will view Euro 2016 as a chance to silence the lingering doubters and the chance of inspiring a shock win over Group B opponents England on June 16th undoubtedly appeals.
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WAYNE ROONEY
In recent weeks, there has been a great debate over whether Wayne Rooney is a striker or a midfielder, whether he should start for England at Euro 2016 or whether he should have even made Roy Hodgson’s squad in the first place, despite captaining the Three Lions through qualifying and breaking Bobby Charlton’s all-time top scorer record in the process.
But in terms of proven ability and experience, the 30-year-old remains head and shoulders above the rest in an otherwise youthful England team. And after so many tournaments of disappointment, the timing feels right for Wazza Roo to truly make an impact on the world stage – especially following a strong end to the season in the deep-lying midfield role.
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THOMAS MULLER
Their squad may be almost overflowing with top-class names but Germany have always prided themselves on functioning effectively as a unit and no player epitomises that trend better than attacking utility man Thomas Muller.
The Bayern Munich star possesses no overriding technical or physical attribute but is quite simply a force of nature when it comes to scoring goals, especially at international level. He’s bagged eleven across the last two World Cups and 31 overall for Die Mannschaft – not to mention a career-best 32 strikes at club level this season.
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ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC
A master of the wonder goal and arguably the greatest striker of his generation, notching up an incredible 454 goals in 789 appearances – including 62 goals for Sweden – throughout a trophy-laden career. Now aged 34, Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be desperate to leave a final mark on the world stage during what is likely to be his last ever major international tournament.
In 2014, the 6 foot 5 star claimed a World Cup without him isn’t worth watching – so we can only assume a European Championship with him will be one of the greatest footballing spectacles you’ll ever witness. Unfortunately, however, progression through the tournament doesn’t seem too likely; Sweden find themselves one of the toughest groups alongside Belgium, Italy and Ireland.
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CRISTIANO RONALDO
Football – Argentina v Portugal – International Friendly – Old Trafford, Manchester, England – 18/11/14Portugal’s Cristiano RonaldoMandatory Credit: Action Images / Jason CairnduffEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Portugal’s squad is overflowing with exciting young talents, not least including Andre Gomes, Renato Sanchez, William Carvalho and Rafa Silva, but Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo remains the indisputable star of the show.
The European Championship is the only tournament in which the 31-year-old icon doesn’t face the prospect of being overshadowed by Argentinean Ballon d’Or nemesis Lionel Messi and he’ll relish the opportunity to have the stage to himself – even if Portugal aren’t considered one of the favourites to lift the 2016 title.
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PAUL POGBA
France turned world football on its head the last time they hosted an international tournament – the 1998 World Cup – and will be hoping for a similar impact this time around. The strength of Didier Deschamps’ squad lays in its depth rather than inclusion of world-class names but if there’s one player who certainly belongs in that bracket, it’s dynamic midfielder Paul Pogba.
Aged 23, the former Manchester United youngster is already revered as arguably the best in the business, combining physicality and flair with a sturdy supply of goals. Juventus are hoping to seal a record-breaking sum for the 29-cap international this summer and performances for France could well convince one of his many admirers to pay up.
Coming off a campaign that saw them finish 2nd in the Premier League, Arsenal has made it known that they are searching for another striker as well as a centre-back.
The Gunners also are looking to strengthen their midfield after the likes of Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Flamini and Tomas Rosicky were released this summer.
Arsenal have already made one acquisition in that department, signing Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka for a fee of around £30m.
But Wenger arguably needs one or two more midfielders to help boost his title challenge this term.
So here are FIVE midfield suggestions Wenger should target…
N’Golo Kanté
A stout midfielder that was a crucial component to Leicester’s title run, Kanté has a number of suitors lining up for his services.
However, whether he leaves the Foxes is uncertain. The Frenchman has been contacted by a number of elite clubs and Arsenal would be smart to get into the fold.
The combative midfielder really emerged this year as a 25-year-old, with 37 appearances in the Premier League. He had one goal and added four assists.
Mateo Kovačić
Displeased with his lack of playing time with Real Madrid, it’s believed that Kovačić is seeking a move away from the Champions League winners after just one year with the club.
The tension heightened when the Croatian midfielder wasn’t even selected in the squad for their victory over their Madrid counterparts in the Champions League final.
Kovačić has been linked to a return to the Italy, although Liverpool have also displayed interest. If Wenger thinks he can help return the 22-year-old to form, he could be a worthwhile investment.
Mario Götze
Football Soccer – Germany v Ukraine – EURO 2016 – Group C – Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France – 12/6/16Germany’s Mario Gotze in action with Ukraine’s Serhiy SydorchukREUTERS/Carl RecineLivepic
Mario Götze saw his playing time decrease last season, and his value dipped as a result. After being told that playing time might be limited again this year, Götze may pursue a move away.
The German international appeared in just 14 matches with Bayern last season, with three goals and four assists.
He has been linked to Liverpool as Jürgen Klopp has shown interest in the playmaking midfielder.
Aleksandr Golovin
Golovin is being held in high regard by a number of European clubs this summer.
The Russian playmaker scored just one goal in 17 appearances in the Premier Liga with CSKA Moscow, although he didn’t receive much playing time.
Tabbed as a player he looks up to, Mesut Özil could be an added incentive to make the move to the Gunners. Many Russian players are very loyal to the homeland and the Super Liga, making it a challenge to pry the “Russian Ronaldo” away from CSKA Moscow.
João Mário
Mário, perhaps over shadowed by fellow countryman and midfielder Renato Sanches and his transfer to Bayern Munich, is also looking to leave Portugal this summer.
The right wing contributed six goals and 11 assists in 33 appearances with Sporting CP last season, while also adding a goal in the Europa League.
Portugal has only played one match so far, drawing 1-1 with Iceland. Mário started the game and lasted on the pitch until the 76th minute.
Mário, 23, has been linked to Arsenal and a series of Premier League clubs. The Porto native has a market value of £15m.
Now that Gonzalo Higuain has abandoned his Napoli team-mates for a shot at the big time again with Juventus, it’s a good time to try and pick the rest of the Naples carcass. Liverpool, naturally, should be one of the teams looking at every way possible to bolster their current squad and there are several desirable commodities still available.
Higuain’s departure is yet another in a long list of stars who have departed as Napoli continue to crave a Scudetto, as Juventus’ Italian dominance continues. Liverpool are also accustomed to losing their best players, although they could turn from bullied child to playground menace if they move for some of Napoli’s greatest talents.
Jurgen Klopp’s desire to take Liverpool back to the ‘glory days’ is irrepressible. However we dress it up, Klopp’s Liverpool in 2016/17 are likely to be stronger than any team the Kop have supported in this millennium.
Saying that, more invested is needed for a title push. Could these THREE Napoli stars be the answer?
Jorginho
Defensive midfielders are too often overlooked in the modern game and Liverpool are a team that are as guilty of this as any club in the land right now. The brilliance of Emre Can, industry of James Milner and power of Jordan Henderson are all good and well but there is no balance in the current midfield.
Jorginho, although not a destroyer, would be able to slot right in to the number six role for Liverpool and dictate the tempo of the game.
Rather than relying on the physical side of the game, Jorginho is a great reader of the situation and a reliable passer. The Brazilian averaged over 90% pass completion throughout 2015/16 and could be the player to keep Liverpool’s midfield ticking over.
Kalidou Koulibaly
After a difficult start to life with Napoli, Koulibaly has become one of their most important players and impressed alongside Raul Albiol in the heart of the defence. The Senegalese star is one of the most sought after prospects in Europe and it would take a sizeable transfer fee for Liverpool to secure his signature.
Although Sakho, Matip and Lovren are solid enough, Koulibaly would immediately make the Liverpool defence seem significantly more secure. His record of completing over 2.5 interceptions and 2.5 tackles per Serie A game last season goes to show just how good he is.
Able to both read the game and compete physically with even the most powerful forwards, Koulibaly would be a signing to prove that Liverpool can compete with the best.
Faouzi Ghoulam
Alberto Moreno seems to be living on borrowed time at Liverpool, and understandably so.
The 25-year-old left-back from Napoli, Faouzi Ghoulam, would be a perfect alternative for Klopp. Although he can be foolish defensively too, Ghoulam has a far more rounded game than Moreno and would make for the ideal raiding wing-back that Klopp so desperately craves.
Left-back is yet another area that Liverpool fans will be hoping Klopp reinforces this summer and there are few better options than Ghoulam.
At what point does a transfer saga stop being a saga? When does it become novel-worthy nonsense?
Saido Berahino’s laboured attempts to leave West Bromwich Albion are certainly reaching that ballpark.
The striker has been pushing his way out of the Hawthorns for what seems like an eternity and the continued battled between himself and the club’s brutal hierarchy shows no sign of ending. The longer it goes on, the worse it reflects on both parties at this point.
No one is coming out of this smelling like roses. They’re all carrying a strong whiff of deceit, greed and stubbornness. It’s bringing out the heels digging-in nature of some football clubs, to the point that they are overlooking what would be best for their club.
It’s a right mess, frankly. Berahino can’t be happy, the manager must be a bit miffed and everyone is at a loss with what to do at this point.
All about the price tag
At the end of the day. When all’s said and done. When you have a long hard look at yourselves.
Whatever irrelevant cliche you want to use, money runs the world (football). The influence of currency in the ‘beautiful’ game is growing, as you would expect, and clubs are becoming more and more powerful by the week, as their revenues rise at astonishing rates.
For that reason, West Brom have been able to resist even hefty offers for their gifted forward.
However, they may well have done better out of this if they hadn’t. The market has inflated since Tottenham’s first offer for Berahino and, at the time, that was a ground-breaker. Although that money might not have the same weight as it did then, the money could have been reinvested in the squad and even seen some of those investments make profit this summer.
Harmonising
Football – West Bromwich Albion – Tony Pulis Press Conference – The Hawthorns – 2/1/15West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Pulis poses after his press conferenceMandatory Credit: Action Images / Carl RecineLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Having a player who has been so vocal about his desire to leave can hardly be a good thing for the squad. Manager-player relations probably haven’t been on the best footing for some time now, which will have made it a rather unpleasant dressing room to find yourself in.
Players don’t want to join/play for clubs that are not willing to do what is best for their players, do they? Surely players do not like to see their team-mates kept at a club against their will, nor will they enjoy seeing a team-mate so openly opposed to playing for a side.
It needed to be ended a while back, but this ‘saga’ has cost every Baggie.
Poor lad
Berahino has dreamed of reaching the top level of English football since he was a kid and he wants to take the next step.
Evidently, he will struggle to become an England regular at West Brom, making it harder for him to want to remain at the club.
Their style wasn’t suiting his style of play often and it was doing no good for him or the team as a whole, it’s a lose-lose.
Other than a bit of pride at showing they can retain a player, keeping an unhappy, unsuited player has done little good for either party in this one.
Since the Middle Eastern take-over of 2008, Manchester City have packed their squad with a large number of foreign acquisitions. Global names, marquee signings and some of English football’s biggest stars have all made the jump to the Eithad Stadium.
It certainly felt like the beginning of a new era in 2008, but prior to the influx of money Manchester City had a long and storied past that has seen some top stars and some less well-known talents turn out in the sky blue.
Some of English football’s biggest names have worn the Manchester City shirt with some making a bigger impact than others.
These are the FIVE players people regularly forget played for Manchester City in recent times…
Andy Cole (2005-2006)
One of the greatest strikers to play in the Premier League, Andy Cole was signed for Manchester City in 2005 when Stuart Pearce convinced the former Manchester United forward to make the move to Manchester once again.
Cole had left Fulham after his contract expired at Craven Cottage and fancied a move back to the north after his family failed to settle in west London. Pearce was keen to capture Cole and partner him with new signing Darius Vassell as the club aimed to achieve a respectable finish.
The former Newcastle and Manchester United striker was a success at City during his one season at the club, with many failing to remember Cole the goal’s impact at Eastlands.
David James (2004-2006)
When David Seaman was forced to retire through injury in January 2004, City were forced into the transfer market to replace the veteran. Kevin Keegan identified David James as the natural successor to Seaman.
James’ time at Eastlands was rather successful even though there were some darker days. James was famously requested to play up front for City at the end of the 2004/05 season as the club went chasing a UEFA Cup spot.
Portsmouth came calling in 2006 and James left City after the sense of doom started creeping in around the club.
Peter Beardsley (1998)
One of the finest technical footballers England has ever produced, Peter Beardsley was loaned to Manchester City in 1998 as the club aimed to survive relegation to the second division under Joe Royle.
Beardsley had represented England at World Cups, won trophies with Liverpool and was a key figure during Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle tenure at the beginning of the 1990s.
Peter’s impact at Maine Road was not as great though, as he struggled to make much of an impact.
Andrei Kanchelskis (2001)
Another Manchester United legend who features on our list is the Russian maestro of Andrei Kanchelskis. The former Red Devils winger was loaned to Manchester City in 2001 as Joe Royle aimed to bring in established Premier League stars to guide his City side to survival in 2001.
Kanchelskis was a major disappointment at Maine Road and after just 11 appearances he netted one solitary goal against Liverpool in the FA Cup, for which he is fondly remembered.
Maybe not the most successful player in the club’s illustrious history, but one that not many fans are aware played for Manchester City.
Kasper Schmeichel (2006-2009)
Britain Football Soccer – Manchester United v Leicester City – Barclays Premier League – Old Trafford – 1/5/16Leicester’s Kasper Schmeichel applauds the fans at the end of the matchAction Images via Reuters / Jason CairnduffLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact y
Son of former City goalkeeper Peter, Kasper came through the City academy at Platt Lane with big things expected from his career. Kasper made just eight league appearances for the Blues during his three-years in the first-team as Joe Hart was constantly favoured over the Danish prodigy.
An impressive run of form in 2007 led many to predict Schmeichel would become City’s number one for a few years to come however when Joe Hart was given his opportunity, Kasper’s City career began to look very bleak.
Notts County signed him on a permanent transfer in 2009 before spells at Leeds, Hull and finally Leicester, where he won the Premier League title in 2015/16.
According to reports in the Daily Echo, in-form Southampton duo Charlie Austin and Nathan Redmond are not expected to receive call-ups to the England squad for the upcoming 2018 World Cup qualifier against Scotland, and friendly vs. Spain.
What’s the word, then?
Interim England manager Gareth Southgate is set to stick with a similar squad to the one that was picked for the previous international double-header against Malta and Slovenia, wanting to keep the faith with players such as Jamie Vardy, as well as not wanting to disrupt the U-21 side too greatly ahead of the Young Lions’ Euro 2017 campaign next summer.
Who would be dropped in favour of Austin up top?
It’s often said that the England squad is picked on form, and Austin is certainly enjoying a fruitful spell for Saints, scoring seven goals in his last eight appearances.
Meanwhile, despite his fantastic campaign last term, Vardy has struggled to recreate his showings for the Premier League champions this time around, failing to find the net in his last ten appearances for club and country.
Is Redmond ready to be promoted from the U-21s?
Most definitely. The 22-year-old has made more than 30 appearances for the U-21s and has therefore picked up plenty of experience, while he is also starting to shine in his new-found striking position for his club, scoring two goals in his last two Premier League appearances.
Could the snub for Austin work in Saints’ favour?
It just might. The club has seen Shane Long, Ryan Bertrand and Matt Targett all pick up knocks on international duty in recent weeks, and Claude Puel won’t be keen to lose his top goalscorer to injury with the games continuing to come thick and fast for the south coast outfit.
During the summer, Ashley Williams brought an end to more than eight years at Swansea City by making the move north to join Everton in a deal believed to be worth around £12m.
The centre-back comes up against his former team for the first time since the summer on Saturday, when the high-flying Toffees welcome the struggling Swans to Goodison Park in the Premier League.
The Wales captain played more than 350 matches in all competitions for the Welsh side before joining the Merseyside outfit, where he has made twelve outings so far this term under the leadership of Ronald Koeman, who took the 32-year-old to the club during the summer.
Alongside Phil Jagielka and Ramiro Funes Mori, Williams has helped the club to seventh in the top flight standings.
We look at THREE reasons why the Welshman has proved he made the right decision to leave Swansea and join Everton…
League position
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Everton made a positive start to the Premier League season by winning four of their opening five matches, and despite picking up three points just once in the last six, including a 5-0 thrashing at Chelsea last time out, the Toffees are still lying eighth in the top flight standings, level on points with Manchester United.
Meanwhile, Swansea have taken just five points from a possible 33 this term, and are only off of the bottom of the table by virtue of goal difference from Sunderland.
Stability
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Everton decided to appoint Southampton manager Koeman on a three-year deal in the summer, and unless the Dutchman decides to leave the Merseyside outfit in the coming couple of years, it would seem to be a wise long-term move by the club.
It is a different story for the Swans, who are already on their second manager of the season following the sacking of Francesco Guidolin in October – he’s been replaced by former USA boss Bob Bradley.
The Welsh side have picked up just one point from a possible twelve since then, and they look to be in real danger of losing their Premier League status.
Potential
At 32 years of age, Williams is running out of time to win trophies and play in Europe, and despite lifting the League Cup with Swansea in 2013, and enjoying the subsequent Europa League campaign, there is no doubt that there is more chance of him achieving his aims on a consistent basis with the Toffees.
Although they were knocked out of the League Cup by Norwich, Everton still have the FA Cup to look forward to, while they are well placed in the Premier League in order to try and qualify for Europe next season.